Tips to take spring cleaning one step further

It’s that time of year again. We open the windows to let fresh air in, go room to room cleaning from top to bottom, and wash what feels like everything in the house.

The time for spring cleaning is here. Some look forward to it, and some face it with a sense of dread. This year, we are taking it one step further with these little extras to welcome the new season.

Update house fixtures

Small changes, like changing your drawer knobs or updating your light switches, can make a big difference. I picked up some great glass knobs for our daughter’s closet doors at hardware store that was liquidating awhile ago that they love.

I love our house, but for some reason, the previous owners had different light switches, plugs, and plates everywhere. This is the spring that I’ll be changing them out to ones that match.

Note: do not attempt any electrical work unless you are familiar with electrical and know how things work. This is a safety issue.

Check smoke and carbon detectors

Since spring cleaning comes once per year, use this time as a reminder to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon detectors. Do a test to make sure that the detectors are working properly.

Switch out unwanted furniture

Earlier this month we decided to get rid of a pub-height table in our dining room. With two young kids, we barely used it. I found a nice, solid wood table through an online exchange group, and bought it for $200. The person who sold it to me also offered to drive it into the city which was a bonus.

We turned around and listed our table and chairs for $220, and sold them for $200. In the end, we basically just exchanged our table for one that suited us better and we broke even.

Remember that just because you don’t want something, it doesn’t mean that someone else isn’t looking for that exact thing. Check Facebook selling groups for your city, or use sites like Kijiji to find and sell your items.

Thin out the stuff

While you are going room to room cleaning and updating, make sure you pull out anything you no longer want. This is the perfect time to get rid of things that are too small, not used, or no longer age appropriate. Pack them in a spot to sell or donate.

Tip: Make your old stuff look like new before donating or selling. For toys, you can use Arm and Hammer baking soda, and for outdoor or harder-to-clean items, you can use OxiClean™ Versatile Stain Remover. It’s chlorine free and colour safe so you can use it on your gutters and unfinished decks, too!

Take stock

Spring cleaning is a great time to make a list of home/yard improvements you need and would like to have fixed. Call for estimates, and decide what items are feasible over the next year. Put the items in order of most to least important and start knocking them off.

Are you going beyond the regular spring clean this year? What are you doing?

Sheri publishes, and writes at This Bird’s Day where she shares all of the thoughts in her head without the voices. Sticking mainly with content for Canadians, Sheri shares family stories, product information and anything that fits into her (and her family’s) daily activities.